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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Purs, Purs(s)e, n. Also: purss, pwrs, purce; pours; pors, pores; pyrse; Posse. [OE, ME and e.m.E. purs, ME also pors (c 1290), ME and e.m.E. also porse, porce, pours(e, appar. f. late L. bursa purse, with p- after OE pung purse, pusa wallet.The ME and e.m.E. forms in -o- and -ou- and with final -e are appar. by influence of OF borse, F. bourse, f. the L. Cf. also Burse n. 1.]A purse, in various usual senses and applications.Also Jag-purse n., penny-purs Penny n. 9 c and plak-purse Plak n. 4 b, Pike-purs(e n., pledge-purse Pleg(e n. 6 (4). 1361 Reg. Episc. Morav. 305.
Alexandri Irynpurs

1. A small bag or pouch, used for carrying money, or, occas., other small objects, on the person; a purse.Freq. of leather, but also made from other flexible materials.(1) c1420 Wynt. vi 1283.
A fayre purs he had hyngand: The prest that purs opnyd swne And fand in it that lettyr a1500 Henr. Fab. 2070. 1488 Treas. Acc. I 87.
In Avereis box lous without ony purs, [1030], Hari nobilis Ib. 88.
For purssis to put the mone in that [etc.] a1500 Bk. Chess 1568.
And at his belt suld hyngand be a purs Ib. 616. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii 39 (M).
And sum cuttis [B. pykis] pursis 1508 Treas. Acc. IV 22.
Purses 1512 Ib. 186.
To the quenis distributioun in xxiij pursis in ilk purse xxiij Inglis pennies 1538–9Ib. VII 149. a1540 Freiris Berw. 150 (M).
With ane proud purs and keyis gingling 1545 Elgin Rec. I 85.
Maid burges and freman … and pait v s. with ane purse quhilk vas gevin to big the vast port; 1549 Edinb. Hammermen 180b.
For ane stand of comptouris xx d. Item for ane purs to put thame in xij d. 1562-3 Winȝet I 123/6. 1565 Reg. Privy S. V i 633/2.
Ane tikket … fund in his faderis purs as his latter will and legacie a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cxii 23.
My hand I putt in to my sleif And furthe of it ane purs I drew Id. Ib. 38.
To haue ane purse of fyne gold fow 1574–5 Reg. Privy C. II 434.
Togidder with the puyr mennis pursis, plaidis, and wappynnis 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Crumena, ane purs 1587–8 Aberd. Council Lett. I 19.
[They] als hes reft ane gryit quantitie of thair guids and nocht left sa mekill … as the fairdin in thair pursses 1597–8 Elgin Rec. II 63.
That euerie elder … have ane purse with ane brazyn mowthe that may collect certane penalteis … and as the saids elderis salhappin to be remouit fra thair office the intrant sall buy the samen purse at the same pryce it cost 1600 Ellon Presb. 31.
[Also, that none put up] aither purses or any signe for dansing 1645 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 45.
A shewit purss with gold and siluer, £24 1658 Brechin Test. VI 163.
Ane tuo legged purse with ane bitt of seattine(b) 1576 Crim. Trials I ii 55.
Quha was it that had stollin fra hir … ane croune … out of hir pyrse?(c) c 1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 34a.
The seluer and moneye that I haue ine the schepe Item ine v seuerell pores Item ine ane pors 4 honderis d[ocat]is … Ine ane lang pores of ryellis of 2 l^c L d[ocat]is. 1602 Dundee Shipping P. 74.
He towk fowrtei dokatis in his pors(d) 1644 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. vi 57.
Ane pours with fayftin medels(2) 1488 Inv. Wardrobe 12.
A leddering purs 1488 Treas. Acc. I 81.
A purs maid of perle, in it a moist ball, a pyn of gold [etc.] Ib. 85.
In a purs of ledder 1496 Acta Conc. II 39.
In a litil lynnyn purse 1505 Treas. Acc. III 44.
For ane elne wellus to the quene to be purses and small graith 1506 Ib. 266. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxix 21.
My purs is maid of sic ane skyn, Thair will na cors byd it within 1565 Treas. Acc. XI 358.
For ane purs of weluote lynit witht satene 1568 Edinb. Test. I 212b.
The leddren pursis stringit with silk and knappit with gold 1613 Ib. XLVII 226b.
Ten dosane leddering pursis 1643 Ib. LX 270b.
Aucht lume work pursis and scheithes

b. Const. of the contents. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 521.
Ane purs of gold and mony gay jowall a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 100.
Thair was fundin with him a reasonable gude purse of money pertenyng to the Erle of Mortoun

2. A purse with its contents; a certain stock of money or funds (one's own or held in trust). In various more or less fig. or allusive contexts.(Money) to put in (one's) purs, for purse, to be kept, as in a purse, for future needs.(To be punished) be the purs, i.e. by having to pay out fines, also, To punis another's purs, to exact financial penalties from him.(To be) out of purs, out of pocket.To kepe another's purs, to provide him with spending money.(Not) to have a purs for, to have (no) money to spare for, to be (un)able or (un)willing to spend on (some activity etc.).(1) 1489 Treas. Acc. I 108.
Takin be the king furth of the thesauraris pwrs, thre half demys 1506 Ib. III 194.
Giffin to the king himself in his awn purs [£13, 10s.] 1522 Edinb. B. Rec. I 208.
Failyeand that the saidis officeris poynd nocht for the samyn, thai to pay the saidis soumes of thair awin pursis 1525–6 Treas. Acc. V 254.
Deliverit for the kingis purs xj li. 1535 Ib. VI 262.
To Maister George Cuke for his laubouris doune in writing of the comptis of the purs 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI 524.
For … conseruatioun of ane vther purs allegit had be the said reuerand fader 1563 Crawford Mun. Invent. II 109 (8 April).
He hes delyverit the purse to my lord of Ergyle quhay hes gevin him his hand writ of sa mony pecis of gold 1603 Treas. Acc. MS 259.
For the vse of his maiesteis purse 1633 Rutherford Christ's Napkin 23.
It is all one whether we have it in our chist-neuk, or if it be in Christ's purse(2) 1455 Montrose Baillie Ct. fol. 1b.
Saide x s. to the commwnis purs 1458 Perth Guildry 33.
And failȝand tharof of the comon purs be the seich of the consale 1488 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 4.
Maid burges be resone of his wyff … for the purs and iiij d. 1494 Ib. 54. 1526–7 Wigtown B. Ct. fol. 183a.
Deliueryt to the stent iii povndis of thare commone povrs 1531 Bell. Boece I 48.
All maner of craftismen out of othir contres … with feis … sum part to be takin on the commoun purs and [etc.] 1537 Glasgow Prot. IV 110.
Paeand yeyrle to the common pwrs of Glasgow viii s. of anwell 1549–50 Elgin Rec. I 101.
To the comound purse 1572 Sat. P. xxxvi 145.
The Jewis wald not put in ther common purs The pryice of Christ, quhilk Judas kaist againe 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 272.
Bot ane collectioun and ane purse … off the haill dewteis and [etc.] 1621 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. i 4.
That with the commoune purse of the penalties ther be tua black mortclothes … coft — 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 19.
I had into the stock purce 46 li. 14 s.(3) a1500 Bernardus 85.
Als he comawndis betweus glutony And thi purs be striffe for the mastry a1500 K. Hart 941.
Ay quhen his purs of penneis is nocht fow c1490 Irland Asl. MS 40/4.
With richt entencioun nocht for to spair thi purs a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 365.
Thow has a tome purs, I haue stedis and takkis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxix 5.
My panefull purs so priclis me Ib. 16.
Quhen men that hes purssis in tone, Passis to drynk [etc.] Ib. lxxix 19. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 400 (Bann.).
Bot we wald speid far the bettir, To gar our pursis rowt 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv Prol. 11.
Filling thair purses with the spirituall grathe 1591–2 Elgin Rec. II 20.
Wtherwayis to pay the haill almes … quhilk wes not done throch thair slowthe out of thair awin purs c 1592 Soc. Ant. XI 411.
[His appointment as ‘master of the metals’ said to be simply] ane substantius ground to mak himself ane hauie purse 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xi.
The wel deseruing by the purse … was in vse to be kirked vp in burial 1656 Boharm Kirk S. 29 April.
Which he had given of his own purse(4) 1548–9 Treas. Acc. IX 289.
To Lady Barbara … to put in hir purs … xl crounis 1571–2 Ib. XII 303.
And xxxviij s. money to put in thair pursis — 1676 Cunningham Diary 72.
30 lb. of this for diet, the rest for purse(5) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2656.
He that steilis a bow … That theif is hangit be the purs a1578 Pitsc. I 312/23.
Bot lyttill iustice was wssit bot be the purs Ib. II 190/18.
The puir men war hangit and the richmen war hangit be the purs 1596 Dalr. II 345/1.
Sum he punist be the purse for thair offences c1650 Spalding I 299.
He also plunderit the ground, barron, [etc.] … be the pvrss, be exacting of havie fynes — a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 151.
Albeit he … puneist thair pursis besyd gude equitie(6) 1689 Rep. Sir Rob. Menzies MSS 701/1.
[Desiring him to] name a soume for what you have been out of pours vpon inteligence(7) 1592 Edinb. Test. XXIV 59b.
The said Johne … sould gif him ȝeirlie to keip his purs with in honestie … tuentie pundis 1693 Foulis Acc. Bk. 161.
To W^m Foulis to buy a pen knife and to keep his purss 2:0:0(8) 1600-1610 Melvill 30.
For archerie and goff, I haid bow, arrose, glub and bals, but nocht a purs for catchpull and tavern 1687 Old Ross-shire II 69.
You know I am no miesar altho I have not a purs for prodigalletie

3. Applied, punningly, to the scrotum. a1570-86 Kennedy Maitl. F. cxxxi 31.
Quhone pen and purs and all is peild Tak thair ane meis off mouth thankles c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 136.
And thoght his pen purly me payis in bed, His purse pays richely in recompense efter

4. In proverbs. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 7.
A toome purse makes a bleat merchant a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1706) 290.
Ye cannot make a silk purse of a sows lug a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 692.
He is sa pure in purse he may not fie a porter Ib. No. 1629.
The lairds purse, the greifs horse and the taskers bull and cotters kw wil never be ful

5. Attrib. and comb.Purspyk, -pykar = Pike-purs(e n. Purskeiper = Pursmaister n. Also Pursfull n., Purs-penny n.(1) 1652 Peebles B. Rec. I 396.
James Campbell purs cutter to stand at the croce … bound with a tow to the stalk of the croce 1698 Stirling B. Rec. II 344.
For standing at the troan with thrie purse cutters — a1585 Polwart Flyt. 818 (T).
Purspeiller, hen steiller … now I knaw thé — a1500 Colk. Sow i 87.
An heretyk, a purspyk [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. xviii 12 (M).
Than evirie peylour and purspyk [: lordlyk] Sayis land wer better set on me Id. Flyt. 238, 247. — 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 34.
Quhilk … sufferis … not onelie thir purspykaris of Cliddis dale to exercise thift and reif as ane craft bot [etc.] 1604-9 Grahame Anat. Hum. 9.
The dambd crew … with cunning authoritie becomes pocket-sersers and purs-pykers — 1629 Dundonald Par. Rec. 293.
He heard Robert Bowman call Jhone M‘Clurg purse stealer(2) 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 34.
This kynd of men dois not onelie dishonour to nobilitie in stealing and to thevis in purspyking bot als [etc.](3) 1584 Burntisland B. Ct. 27 Oct.
Andro Bennet … is electit … thesaurar and purskeiper(4) 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xii.
Yet to their pursse-friends parentals are keeped peculiare Ib.
To the not so bad, they … allot a purgatorie … according to the pursse-merite of men Ib. xix.
The pursse-miserable poore(5) 1595 Edinb. Test. XXVIII 228.
Sax siluer sponeis with ane purs spone a1689 Cleland 111.
And cooks had need of cleanly fingers, And dukes of lustie strong purse hingers